Device for feeding glue from a glue container to a glue applying head

ABSTRACT

In a device for feeding glue by means of a hose from a glue container to a glue applying head, the glue in the glue container is provided with a cover layer comprising a fluid, such as a mineral oil, which is inert with relation to the glue, has a specific gravity which is less than that of the glue and repulses said glue, so that no air can touch the glue and form a glue skin thereon.

United States Patent Luginbiihl DEVICE FOR FEEDING GLUE FROM A GLUECONTAINER TO A GLUE APPLYING HEAD Inventor: Pierre Luginbiihl, Nauhausenam Rheinfall, Switzerland Assignee: SchweizerischeIndustrie-Gesellschaft, Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland Filed: Jan.19, 1972 Appl. No.: 219,042

Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 10, 1971 Switzerland ...l982/71US. Cl 222/51, 73/322, 118/10, 222/108 Int. Cl. B67d 5/22, GOlf 23/06Field of Search 73/322, 150 R, 319, 73/306, 307; 118/200 R, 267, 241,402, 403, 267, 7, 9, 10; 156/295, 547, 548, 540, 575, 578; 222/51, 64,108, 395, 57

Jan. 1, 1974 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,599,6046/1952 Bauer et a1. 156/295 X 2,557,668 6/1951 Lincoln 156/548 X2,527,774 10/1950 Lathem et al 118/403 X 3,605,682 9/1971 Groce et al118/9 3,523,456 8/1970 Matzen et al,.. 73/322 X 2,127,595 8/1938 Heden118/402 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Queisser Assistant Examiner-DanielM. Yasich Attorney-Benjamin H. Sherman et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT In a device for feeding glue by means of a hose from aglue container to a glue applying head, the glue in the glue containeris provided with a cover layer comprising a fluid, such as a mineraloil, which is inert with relation to the glue, has a specific gravitywhich is less than that of the glue and repulses said glue, so that noair can touch the glue and form a glue skin thereon.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 DEVICE FOR FEEDING GLUE FROM A GLUECONTAINER TO A GLUE APPLYING HEAD The invention relates to a device forfeeding glue from a glue container to a glue applying head.

In the known devices of this type the glue is always in contact with theair so that owing to a drying effect of the air on the glue a skin ofglue is formed on the same. Furthermore, when the level of the glue inthe container drops, glue skins are formed on the walls of the containerbecause some of the glue adheres to the walls of the container. When thecontainer subsequently is refilled with glue the formed skins are partlytorn and are removed from the walls and the skin portions enter theconnecting line leading to the glue applying head so that the connectingline and also the head itself may become clogged. Therefore, one has toclean the device repeatedly and this results in an interruption of theoperation of the glue applying head. Also, when one connects a new gluebottle by a dip pipe with the glue applying head and even if one employscompressed air for feeding the glue to the glue applying head, theformation of glue skin cannot be avoided. Furthermore, there alwaysremains glue residue in the bottles.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which avoids theabove mentioned disadvantages by providing in the container above thesurface of the glue therein a cover layer which separates the glue fromthe air. This cover layer comprises a fluid which is inert with relationto the glue and has a specific gravity which is less than that of theglue.

The drawing illustrates by way of example, an embodiment of the deviceof the invention.

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical sectional view of the gluesupplying device;

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of the device illustrated in FIG. 1 whenthe container is refilled with glue; and

FIG. 3 illustrates the cover of the glue container with an associatedfloat when removed from the glue container and placed on a horizontalsurface.

Referring to the drawing, a glue container 1 is connected by a hose witha glue applying head 2 to which the contents of the glue container 1 isfed, whereby the glue applying head 2 is arranged at a lower level thanthe glue container 1. The glue container 1 is supported by two supports3 or the like, and has a funnel-shaped downwardly converging bottom 4whose central discharge aperture is connected by the hose 5 with theglue applying head 2 arranged therebelow. The difference in heightbetween the glue container and the glue applying head is such that theglue flows by its gravity toward the glue applying head 2. The container1 is provided with a cover part 7 which by screws 8 or the like, isattached to the upper edge of the container wall 9. The cover part 7 ishorizontal and is provided with a central aperture from which a verticalcollar 11 extends upwardly. A cover 12 rests loosely on the upper edgeof this collar 11. In the center of the cover 12 is arranged a verticaltubular guide 13 for a vertical rod 14 which extends through the cover12. The lower end of the vertical rod 14 has attached thereto a float15. This float 15 floats in a fluid which forms a cover layer 16 abovethe level 17 of the glue 6 in the container 1. In order to remain abovethe level 17 of the glue 6, the

fluid forming the: cover layer 16 has a lower specific gravity than theglue. The upper portion of the rod 14 is provided with three differentlycolored sections, for instance a lower relatively long green section 18,a center relatively short yellow section 19, and an upper still shorterred section 20. The portion of the rod 14 extending upwardly beyond thetubular guide 13 indicates when it becomes necessary to refill thecontainer 1 with glue. As long as a portion of the lowermost section 18is visible a refilling is not required; when the center section 19partly disappears in the guide 13 a refilling is advisable, but whenonly the uppermost section 20 is visible, then it is necessary to refillthe container 1 with glue. At the upper end of the rod 14 is arranged abutton 21 which forms a stop which prevents that during the lowering ofthe float 15 the latter will touchthe bottom 4.

For refilling the container 1 with glue the cover is removed and abottle of glue 22 is emptied into the container 1 in a manner asillustrated in FIG. 2. The glue which is being discharged from thebottle 22 flows simply through the cover layer 16. The capacity of theglue container 1 is so selected that it is the same as the capacity ofthe bottle 22 so that the bottle 22 may be completely emptied providedthat prior to the removal of the cover 12 the lower section 18 of therod was no longer visible. The bottle 20 is completely emptied and anyloss of glue is avoided.

During the refilling of the container 1, the cover 12 with the rod 14and the float 15 thereon is placed on a table 23 or other horizontalsurface in the manner as is illustrated in FIG. 3. It is obvious thatwhen this is done that any cover layer liquid which may adhere to thefloatlS drops at 24 from the float 15 and at 24' into a catch pan formedby the frustocdnically shaped collar 25. When subsequently, after therefilling of the glue, the cover is again brought into its closedposition as shown in FIG. 1, the collected cover layer fluid flows fromthe collar 25 back into the container 1.

The glue application head 2 which is tiltably supported on a fixedhorizontal pin 26 is provided in conventional manner with a nozzle 27which is provided at its discharge end with a spring-loaded ball 18.

A paper web 29 which at predetermined points or lines is to be providedwith glue is pulled by a drawing member 30 from a supply .roll 31 and ismoved over guide rollers 32 and33 and over a table 3d past the glueapplying head 2 which in conventional manner is tilted upwardly anddownwardly as indicated by a double arrow 35. When the ball 28 duringthe downward movement of the head 2 engages the paper web 29, it ismoved relatively to the nozzle 27 upwardly and permits the discharge ofsome glue, until the head 2 is again tilted upwardly and is closed bythe ball 28. A cutting device 36 severs the sections of the paper web 29provided with glue from the paper web 29 which ob viously may consist ofa material other than paper. Thereupon, the drawing member 30 engagesthe new end of the paper web 29 and moves the web forwardly again.

Compared with the heretofore employed conventional glue feed devicesmentioned in the foregoing, the device of the present invention hassubstantial advantages. Since the glue is only in contact with the airwhen the glue bottle is emptied into thecontainer 1, it is impossiblethat at any place a glue skin can be formed by the drying effect of theair which would disturb the feeding of the glue toward the head 2 orwould make a cleaning of the device necessary. Furthermore, as soon asthe container is refilled, the operation of the glue applying head 2 maybe continued.

The fluid forming the covering layer 16 comprises a special mineral oilwhich is neutral with relation to the glue and which firmly adheres tothe wall of the container and also has a repulsive effect with respectto the glue. Such an oil has a specific gravity which is less than thatof the glue and does not evaporate and does not oxidize.

It has been discovered that when the glue level 17 drops no glue remainson the wall of the container. On the other hand when the container isrefilled with glue and the glue rises in the same, a thin film of oilremains between the wall of the container and the glue 6, so that notthe slightest traces of glue come into contact with the air. Obviously,it is also possible to provide the container with a tightly closingcover and to introduce compressed air above the level of the oil inorder to accelerate the flow of the glue. However, when the device issensibly dimensioned a relatively small natural drop is sufficient toassure a steady flow of glue to the head 2; in fact as a rule theapplication of a gas under pres sure may be dispensed with.

I claim:

1. In a device for dispensing liquid glue, a liquid glue supplycontainer having a removable top cover and a bottom outlet; a liquidglue dispensing head; conduit means connecting said dispensing head withsaid bottom outlet of the container; the improvement comprising saidcontainer being partly filled with a predetermined amount of liquidwhich is inert to and immiscible with the glue, and which has a specificweight less than that of the liquid glue so that it forms a protectivelayer on the top surface of any liquid glue in the container, therebycontinuously preventing contact between air and said liquid glue in thecontainer; and float-rod means carried by said top cover with the floatmeans in said protective layer of liquid provided with indicator rodmeans extending upwardly through an opening in said top cover of thecontainer and provided on its projecting portion through the top coverwith indicator means to show the depth location of said float means 4within the container and thereby the surface level of the liquid gluesupply in the container.

2. The device according to claim 1, in which said liquid forming saidcover layer is a mineral oil which adheres more firmly to the containerwall than does the glue.

3. The device according to claim 1, in which said removable top cover ofthe container is provided on its underside with a downwardly convergingcollar which when said top cover is in a closure position on thecontainer the collar projects into the container, while when the topcover is removed from the container and placed on a substantiallyhorizontal support surface with said float means within said collar andwith the peripheral edge of the collar and the top end of said rod meansin contact with said support surface, said collar together with theadjacent portion of said top cover forms a drip pan for any traces ofliquid remaining on the float means.

4. A float and top cover assembly for a liquid container, comprising aremovable cover member provided on its underside with a downwardlyprojecting annular collar; an indicator rod extending slidably throughan opening in said cover member and having an annular stop member on itstop end portion and a plurality of depth indicator markings beneath saidstop member; and a float secured to the lower end of said indicator rodand being of less transverse dimension than said annular collar, thediameter of said cover member being greater than the diameter of thestop member, so that when said assembly is removed from the containerand placed upon a substantially horizontal support surface and saidfloat retracted to within the confines of said collar and with the outeredge of said cover member and the stop member on the top end of saidindicator rod in contact with the support surface, said collar togetherwith adjacent portions of the cover member forms a drip pan for anyliquid remaining on said float.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, in which said annular collar isconvergent downwardly from said cover member.

1. In a device for dispensing liquid glue, a liquid glue supplycontainer having a removable top cover and a bottom outlet; a liquidglue dispensing head; conduit means connecting said dispensing head withsaid bottom outlet of the container; the improvement comprising saidcontainer being partly filled with a predetermined amount of liquidwhich is inert to and immiscible with the glue, and which has a specificweight less than that of the liquid glue so that it forms a protectivelayer on the top surface of any liquid glue in the container, therebycontinuously preventing contact between air and said liquid glue in thecontainer; and float-rod means carried by said top cover with the floatmeans in said protective layer of liquid provided with indicator rodmeans extending upwardly through an opening in said top cover of thecontainer and provided on its projecting portion through the top coverwith indicator means to show the depth location of said float meanswithin the container and thereby the surface level of the liquid gluesupply in the container.
 2. The device according to claim 1, in whichsaid liquid forming said cover layer is a mineral oil which adheres morefirmly to the container wall than does the glue.
 3. The device accordingto claim 1, in which said removable top cover of the container isprovided on its underside with a downwardly converging collar which whensaid top cover is in a closure position on the container the collarprojects into the container, while when the top cover is removed fromthe container and placed on a substantially horizontal support surfacewith said float means within said collar and with the peripheral edge ofthe collar and the top end of said rod means in contact with saidsupport surface, said collar together with the adjacent portion of saidtop cover forms a drip pan for any traces of liquid remaining on thefloat means.
 4. A float and top cover assembly for a liquid container,comprising a removable cover member provided on its underside with adownwardly projecting annular collar; an indicator rod extendingslidably through an opening in said cover member and having an annularstop member on its top end portion and a plurality of depth indicatormarkings beneath said stop member; and a float secured to the lower endof said indicator rod and being of less transverse dimension than saidannular collar, the diameter of said cover member being greater than thediameter of the stop member, so that when said assembly is removed fromthe container and placed upon a substantially horizontal support surfaceand said float retracted to within the confines of said collar and wIththe outer edge of said cover member and the stop member on the top endof said indicator rod in contact with the support surface, said collartogether with adjacent portions of the cover member forms a drip pan forany liquid remaining on said float.
 5. The assembly according to claim4, in which said annular collar is convergent downwardly from said covermember.